By Lisa Peterson

After the Westminster Kennel Club ballyhoo in February, everyone with a purebred wants to make them a show dog. They have dreams of standing in Madison Square Garden with thousands cheering on their cuddly canines while strutting their stuff across the arena floor.

The average purebred owner quickly finds that showing involves an investment in time and money they hadn’t anticipated and that cute puppy purchased at the pet store is loaded with faults. However, if you are game to enter the dog show world, you can become proficient enough to put a championship title on your quality purebred dog purchased from a reputable breeder.

What exactly is an American Kennel Club “Champion?” AKC sanctions events in the United States for breed, obedience, agility, herding, tracking and hunting among others disciplines. One of the most glamorous titles is that of “breed” or “conformation” Champion and it’s the one featured at Westminster.

AKC will award the title of “Conformation Champion” to an AKC-registered purebred dog that has accrued 15 points by defeating other dogs of the same breed. Judges look for soundness, type, temperament and movement. A Champion must win under three separate judges and include two “major” wins where three-to-five points are awarded at a single dog show. Points are based on the number of dogs defeated and are determined by geographic regions based on the number of dogs that competed in those regions the previous year.

Dogs and bitches compete separately at the pre-championship level.

Each breed is judged against a “standard” which describes the perfect dog. Before you decide to show your dog, get a copy of your breed standard (your dog’s breeder should have one) and stack your dog up against it. While there are no perfect dogs, if your dog has a major fault forget showing it. You want the best quality dog you can find to enter the show ring. Especially if you have a very popular breed like a Golden Retriever or Cocker Spaniel, because the number of dogs you must compete against to earn just one point can be staggering. If you don’t yet own a purebred, you may want to do some research to find what breeds are successful with owner-handlers versus breeds that are almost always handled by the professionals. For the novice this is an option.

Dog shows are one sport where amateurs (owners or breeders) compete against the professional handlers. Professionals are hired for a fee and tend to show many different breeds rather than specialize in one. Before you go chasing points there are various aspects one must learn before taking the first step in the ring.

The best way to start is to find a mentor. The breeder of your puppy is usually the best place to start. They can teach you handling techniques, show the dog for you in the beginning, suggest you hire a professional handler or point you in the right direction to a good breed-handling class.

Getting into a good handling class is paramount. The Newtown Kennel Club offers breed-handling classes every Tuesday night at the Edmond Town Hall from 7:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The fee is $5 for non-NKC members. At these classes you will find other owners, breeders, judges and professional handlers all practicing with their dogs. It’s a great place to network, seek some assistance and learn the ropes.

In a handling class you will learn ring procedures, where to stand in relationship to your dog, movement patterns, baiting, gaiting, stacking and what the term “triangle” means. If you are unable to show off your dog’s good points and minimize any minor flaws with your handling, you might as well stay home. Being able to maximize your few moments with the judge are critical.

Dog show judges are sometimes required to judge hundreds of dogs in a single day. They are given an assignment based on being able to judge one dog approximately every two minutes and sometimes a superior animal is passed over to one that is just handled better.

Another good idea is to go to a couple of dog shows first and observe. Observe how the handlers and judges interact. Go watch your breed ring and group ring. Learn if your breed requires a table for individual examination or any special grooming procedures just prior to show time. See what the handlers are wearing and what equipment they use on their dogs in the ring.

To find out where there are AKC-sanctioned conformation dog shows refer to the AKC web site at www.akc.org and click on “find an event on-line” for a complete listing. You can search by state, event name or type. Search for conformation events. AKC lists all-breed shows and breed-specific specialty shows.

Once you have a good representative of your breed, have attended some handling classes or worked with a professional breeder, handler or judge you are ready to enter your first dog show. It would also be a good idea to contact the AKC and get a copy of Dog Show Rules and Regulations and study it.

Our next column will explain how to enter and prepare for that first dog show.

Lisa Peterson is the Public Education Coordinator for the Newtown Kennel Club. She is a long-time breeder and exhibitor of Norwegian Elkhounds in conformation and obedience.